consulting cup

This past semester, I had the privilege of participating in my university’s Consulting Cup, an intensive competition designed to challenge students with real-world business problems and foster critical thinking, teamwork, and innovative problem-solving. Among 28 competing teams, my team of six advanced to the semifinals, an achievement we are incredibly proud of.

For our project, we were assigned Walgreens. We rapidly identified one of their most pressing challenges: increasing margin pressures. These pressures are largely driven by reduced reimbursement rates caused by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). After extensive research, we concluded that this external issue was beyond Walgreens’ direct control. However, we saw an opportunity to tackle an internal problem that would have an immediate and meaningful impact: operational inefficiencies and lengthy customer waiting times.

We developed a solution we called “Dr. Locker,” an automated locker system designed to streamline the prescription delivery process. Customers would receive their prescriptions via these lockers, eliminating the need for long waits at the pharmacy counter—waits that could extend up to 30 minutes. Additionally, Dr. Locker would significantly reduce labor costs by reallocating staff efforts toward higher-value tasks. This dual benefit of improving customer satisfaction and cutting costs made our proposal particularly compelling.

The project required us to delve deeply into Walgreens’ operations, identifying pain points and evaluating the feasibility of our solution. We conducted thorough research, analyzing data on waiting times, customer satisfaction metrics, and operational costs. From there, we crafted a strategy that addressed both the immediate needs of customers and the long-term goals of the company.

Beyond the technical and analytical aspects of the project, what truly stood out to me was the importance of teamwork and collaboration. Each member of our team brought a unique perspective, and our combined efforts allowed us to create a well-rounded and innovative proposal. It was a semester of late nights, brainstorming sessions, and iterative problem-solving, but every challenge we faced only strengthened our bond and improved our final deliverable.

Although we didn’t take home the top prize, reaching the semifinals out of such a competitive field was a testament to our hard work and dedication. More importantly, the experience taught me invaluable lessons about adaptability, communication, and the power of diverse perspectives.

Participating in the Consulting Cup was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to apply my skills to a real-world challenge while growing both personally and professionally. Projects like this remind me of why I’m passionate about problem-solving and working as part of a team to make a meaningful impact.